George Herbert – 2

(George Herbert’s) “Prayer” – Well, there’s only just one great line in that, but we’ll read the whole thing anyway. Anybody want to try and read Herbert? – [to Student] -Scott? (sic)

Student: (Scott) (I don’t have the poem in the book)

AG: Oh you don’t have the book. Anybody enjoy reading aloud? – [to Student] – Have you done it before?

Student: Yes

AG: Who hasn’t? Who hasn’t read aloud here? Who hasn’t exercised their vocal chords? – [to Student] – You haven’t have you? – Just… Yeah Okay, why don’t you try reading it “ – Who’s religious? ..Who’s religious? Who believes in God? Somebody that… This is a prayer, lets get someone who can really get with it – Come on, Mike (sic), get with it. Come on! You know, not religious but it’s got you God, or something….

Student (Mike): Oh…[continues] – “The six-days world transposing in an hour,/A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear;/Softness, and peace, and joy, and love, and bliss,/ Exalted manna, gladness of the best,/Heaven in ordinary, man well drest,/The milky way, the bird of Paradise,/ Church-bells beyond the stars heard, the soul’s blood,/The land of spices; something understood.”

AG: That’s really nice. Staccato. A lot of it seems like Emily Dickinson almost, particularly the end – “The land of spices; something understood “– Great! – Infra-sound, beyond hearing. The line I like though – there’s one great line here that’s sort of Miltonic – “Engine against th’ Almighty” – prayer as an “Engine against th’ Almighty” (“Engine” meaning, I guess, a weapon. or engine, to reach the Almighty, an engine to bend the Almighty to our own heart) – “Engine against th’ Almighty”,